INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.

This is where you will find the latest news and multimedia from INTERPOL. Read our news stories and speeches; see the Organization in action through videos and photo galleries; and download our fact sheets, brochures and annual reports.

Our global police communications channels and internationally recognized alert systems allow police around the world to share data instantly and securely. A 24-hour contact point and specialized teams provide targeted support to serious crime or disaster incidents.

Conventions mentioning INTERPOL

Being the only global police organization and having a worldwide communication system, INTERPOL can offer to other international organizations and its Member countries services that are unique.

For this reason, INTERPOL is often mentioned in international conventions and multilateral or bilateral treaties as a means to transmit information in the context of a criminal investigation or prosecution, even if the Organization itself would not be a party to that instrument.

INTERPOL is often indicated as a means to transfer information especially in urgent cases, and in some conventions the Organization's role has been expanded to offer "assistance" in general terms, not only for transferring information.

A non-exhaustive list of international instruments, adopted under the auspices of international institutions such as the United Nations or the European Union can be found on these pages. However, INTERPOL's role is further mentioned in a larger number of bilateral treaties between countries, not listed below.

International instruments in which INTERPOL's role is mentioned(Non-exhaustive list)

1. Conventions adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe

European Convention on Extradition (Paris, 1957) (European Treaties, ETS No. 24)
Article 16 (3) A request for provisional arrest shall be sent to the competent authorities of the requested Party either through the diplomatic channel or direct by post or telegraph or through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) or by any other means affording evidence in writing or accepted by the requested Party. The requesting authority shall be informed without delay of the result of its request.

European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (Strasbourg, 1959) (European Treaties, ETS No. 30) as amended by the Second Additional Protocol in 2001
Article 15 (7) In urgent cases, where direct transmission is permitted under this Convention, it may take place through the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

European Convention on the Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced or Condi-tionally Released Offenders (Strasbourg, 1964) (European Treaties, ETS No. 51)
Article 27 (3) In case of emergency, the communications referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article may be made through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

European Convention on the Punishment of Road Traffic Offences (Strasbourg, 1964) (European Treaties, ETS No. 52)
Article 15 (3) In case of emergency, the communications referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article may be made through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgments (The Hague, 1970) (European Treaties, ETS No. 70)
Article 15 (2) In urgent cases, requests and communications may be sent through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters (1972), (ETS No. 73)
Article 13 (2) In urgent cases, requests and communications may be sent through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

European Convention on the Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Firearms by Individuals (Strasbourg, 1978) (European Treaties, ETS No. 101)
Article 9 (2) When appropriate the notifications may be sent through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime (Strasbourg, 1990) (ETS No. 141) and Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism (2005, ETS No. 198)
Article 24 (3) (1990 Convention) Any request or communication under Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article may be made through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).Article 34(3) (2005 Convention) Any request or communication under paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article may be made through the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

Agreement on Illicit Traffic by Sea, implementing Article 17 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Strasbourg, 1995) (European Treaties, ETS No. 156)
Article 18
(Communication between Designated Authorities):
The authorities designated under Article 17 shall communicate directly with one another.Where, for any reason, direct communication is not practicable, Parties may agree to use the communication channels of ICPO-INTERPOL or of the Customs Co-operation Council [World Customs Organization].

Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (Strasbourg, 1999) (European Treaties, ETS No. 173)
Article 30 (3)
(Direct communication):Any request or communication under Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article may be made through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL).

Convention on Cyber-crime (2001) (ETS No. 185)Article 27(9,b) Any request or communication under this paragraph may be made through the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

2. Conventions adopted under the auspices of the United Nations

United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Vienna, 1988) (Registration No. 27627)
Article 7 (8) [...] Transmission of requests for mutual legal assistance and any communication related thereto shall be effected between the authorities designated by the Parties; this requirement shall be without prejudice to the right of a Party to require that such requests and communications be addressed to it through the diplomatic channel and, in urgent circumstances, where the Parties agree, through channels of the International Criminal Police Organization, if possible.

United Nations model treaty on extradition (1990)
Article 9 (1)
(Provisional arrest):In case of urgency the requesting State may apply for the provisional arrest of the person sought pending the presentation of the request for extradition. The application shall be transmitted by means of the facilities of the International Criminal Police Organization, by post or telegraph or by any other means affording a record in writing.

Rules of procedure and evidence (adopted in 1994) of the International Tribunal for the Prosecution for Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law committed in the territory of Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (Tribunal established by UN Security Council resolution 827)
Rule 39 In the conduct of an investigation, the Prosecutor may [...] seek the assistance of any relevant international body including the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court (Rome, 1998) (A/CONF.183/9)
Article 87 (b)(1)
(Co-operation Requests: General Provisions/Assigned Authorities for Presenting or Receiving Requests/Transmission of Requests):when appropriate, without prejudice to the provisions of subparagraph (a), requests may also be transmitted through the International Criminal Police Organization - INTERPOL - or any appropriate regional organization.

International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Financing (1999) (UNTS, vol. 2178)
Article 18 (4) States Parties may exchange information through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (A/55/3823), adopted by the General Assembly in 2000 and entered into force in 2003
Article 18 (13) Each States Party shall designate a central authority that shall have the responsibility and power to receive requests for mutual legal assistance and either to execute them or to transmit them to the competent authorities for execution. [...] Central authorities shall ensure the speedy and proper execution or transmission of the requests received […]. Requests for mutual legal assistance and any communication related thereto shall be transmitted to the central authorities designated by the States Parties. This requirement shall be without prejudice to the right of a State Party to require that such requests and communication be addressed to it through diplomatic channels and, in urgent circumstances, where the States Parties agree, through the International Criminal Police Organization, if possible.

3. Conventions adopted under the auspices of the European Union

Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders and the Convention applying the agreement (Agreement of 14th June 1985 and as amended subsequently).
Article 53(2) Paragraph 1 shall not prejudice the possibility of requests being sent and returned between Ministries of Justice or through the intermediary of national central offices of the International Criminal Police Organization.

Council Decision establishing the European Police Office (Europol), (2009/371/JHA) (2009)
Article 23 (Relations with international organizations): 1. In so far as it is necessary for the performance of its tasks, Europol may also establish and maintain cooperative relations with: […] (iii) the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).

Council Act Establishing the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union (2000) (2000/C197/01)Article 6(4) (Transmission of Requests for Mutual Assistance): Any request as referred to in Paragraph 1 may, for the sake of speed, be made via the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) or any body competent under provisions introduced pursuant to the Treaty on European Union.

4. Instrument adopted under the auspices of the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Scheme for the Rendition of Fugitive Offenders
Clause 4(1)(Provisional warrants): Where a fugitive offender is, or is suspected of being, in or on his way to any part of the Commonwealth but no warrant has been endorsed [...] or issued [...], the competent judicial authority in that part of the Commonwealth may issue a provisional warrant for his arrest on such information and under such circumstances as would, in the authority's opinion, justify the issue of a warrant if the returnable offence of which the fugitive is accused has been an offence committed within the authority's jurisdiction and for the purposes of this paragraph information contained in an international notice issued by the Interna-tional Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in respect of a fugitive may be considered by the authority, either alone or with other information, in deciding whether a provisional warrant should be issued for the arrest of that fugitive.

5. Convention adopted under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States

Convention on Extradition (Abuja, 1994)
Article 22(3) The request for provisional arrest shall be transmitted to the competent authorities of the requested State either through the diplomatic channel, or direct by post or telegraph, or through the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), or by any other means affording evidence in writing or accepted by the requested State [...].

6. Convention adopted under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS)

Inter-American Convention against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives and other related materials (Washington, 1997) (AG00784.E)
Preamble
Recognizing the importance of strengthening existing international law enforcement support mechanisms such as the International Weapons and Explosives Tracking System (IWETS) of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials.